


A Newfound Love

by Drachesoul



Category: Twilight Series - All Media Types
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-01-24
Updated: 2013-01-24
Packaged: 2017-11-26 18:38:36
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 8
Words: 13,302
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/653228
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Drachesoul/pseuds/Drachesoul
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Edward/Jacob pairing. They both realize that they've been duped by the girl they thought they were in love with. What happens when, by forces unknown, their destinies become entwined?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Unexpected Imprint

Jacob P.O.V.

I saw him just sitting there, his head in his hands, shoulders shuddering softly. I could just barely hear the nearly silent sobs wracking his lithe frame. It brought out an instinct that I had never felt before.

"Huh. I didn't think you were so perceptive." Sam noted drily. Oh, crap. I really need to stop doing that. Thinking aloud, I mean. The pack could pick up on your most intimate thoughts if you kept voicing them in your head. I sighed and laid myself on the ground, tucking my tail close to my body, watching him cry softly.

"Yeah, Jake. You haven't gotten whipped have you?" jested Embry. I merely growled in response.

"Oh, stop teasing him," admonished Seth. He was always there to back me up, even if it cost him loyalty points with the rest of the wolves. I buried my snout in my paws. I could sense them nearby, probably patrolling the border, or training with each other. They were supposed to be training to keep our treaty with the Cullen's relatively intact, but were to busy trying to dissect my life.

"Alright, ENOUGH GUYS!" shouted Sam. His alpha tone rang through my skull as the pack's chatter abruptly ceased. "Now. Everyone who is not Jacob or I will phase out this instant." I heard a collective grumbling as their thought trails disappeared one by one.

"Thank you," I whispered to him.

"No problem. I'll head over to your location now, okay? Judging by the emotions that I'm sensing within you, we need to have a talk." I heard him huffing as he trotted over the border and into the area of the forest not under the pack's control.

"Okay. Just, please, Sam, don't let him sense you. I don't want to scare him away." I looked at him, salty tears welling up in my eyes. I struggled to not burst out sobbing while conversing to my leader.

"Fine. But sooner or later, you're going to have to face the facts. You have imprinted on him, and seeing him so vulnerable like this is tearing your soul to pieces. You want to race to him. To hold him and rock him, telling him that everything is going to be all right. You feel a need to protect him, even if he is too naïve or unwilling to understand it." He paused, giving me a moment to wonder in amazement how me was able to condense all the emotions I was feeling into one tirade and describe them so accurately. Then it dawned on me.

"You felt this way with Emily, didn't you?" I asked him quietly. But I didn't dare press him further It was considered very disrespectful to ask an alpha about their personal imprinting experiences. So hearing Sam talk so openly about his bond with Emily made me look at him in a new light. He trusted me enough to bear his soul to me without ordering me to keep quiet about it.

"Yes." 

"Does it always hurt this much?" I asked, before turning away from him, a tear dropping to the Earth beside me. I looked back once and saw him lean his head against a nearby tree, his golden eyes filled with sadness.

Sam didn't respond.

Edward P.O.V. 

Stupid. Stupid. Stupid. I scuffed my well-worn shoes on the forest floor, kicking myself mentally for believing she loved me. I sat down on the cold, damp ground, leaning my back against a rickety old tree, its frayed bark digging into my spine. Why? Why, after all I've done for her, would she dump me by the wayside like this? My mind is so scattered right now that I don't know what to think. At least I can still remember fondly the time when I really thought that I was in love with Bella Swan.

She was so…I don't know…entrancing, but in a different way. The way her eyes, so smooth and chocolatey-brown, would bore into mine, questioning and not in the least bit afraid. I had never before thought of falling in love with anyone before, especially since our family did its best to avoid any major social situations. Alice once told me that I was destined to fall in love, that I couldn't avoid it. I told her to shut it, and she subsequently slammed my hand into a nearby boulder, crushing the rock with pure strength. I since learned that I shouldn't fight with her about her visions. Pacifist, my ass.

But, anyway. Then came the day when she had figured out that my family and I weren't human. It was still seared in my brain, and no matter how hard I tried, I couldn't get that moment out of my head.

"Are you afraid of me?" I whispered, stepping close to her, to scent the blood that sent tingles down my spine.

"No." Then her lips pressed against mine, feather-soft and full of hesitance. I thought this was what Alice had meant. Love . True love.

How it had all come tumbling down as she begged me to do the one thing that I refused her. I refused to change her into one of us. I told her how much I'd give to get rid of my immortality, and be dead. She seemed to think otherwise. I thought that it would be best for us to separate for a while, but it seemed that I had only driven her more madly in love.

It was all because of him. He showed up, comforting her in her time of desperation. And she followed him. Not that I hated werewolves. I just really didn't like them. Especially when they're sixteen, have the strength of three full-grown men, and are smitten with your girlfriend. I guess I just wasn't willing to give up this feeling that I thought I'd achieved with her. Huh?

I jolted myself out of my personal reverie when I heard a rustling sound to my left. I caught a faint whiff of dog, but I ignored it. I had after all chosen to break down feet away from the Quileute border. I sighed and rested my head on the tree, closing my eyes and listening. I heard the wind breezing through the trees, and a myriad of life occurring just inches from me. The forest was so full of life, not a single bit interested in what I was doing. And I was at peace. After a while though, I slowly stood up, brushed the dirt off my pants. It was time. Time to confront Bella, and ask her about it once and for all.

Me? Or Jake? And honestly, I didn't much care anymore.


	2. Confrontation Pt. 1

Edward P.O.V. 

I cautiously made my way up the front stairs, and approached the doorbell. Her scent suddenly enveloped me, heavy and intense. But it was the last time I was going to let it attract me like this. I won't put her life in anymore danger. She was going to be a thing of the past, and I would be able to move on with my life. I was about to ring the bell when the door suddenly burst open and she walked out, nearly colliding with me. Still a klutz, I thought fondly, then I shook my head vigorously. No! I can't think this way. 

"Oh. Edward. What are you doing here?" She seemed a little confused, but quickly bricked up the rest of her emotions behind a wall. She set down her backpack, and leaned against the wall, her eyes concerned.

"I'm here to tell you something." I said softly. She drew closer to me, and her essence danced around me, ensnaring my senses. It took nearly all of my self-control to not take her then and there. Her face brightened.

"Are you-?" she left the question hanging.

"No. I'm here to tell you no. I just can't have you turned, Bella. It would break my heart to turn you into something you're not meant to be." Her expression turned cold and cruel.

"God. How did I know that you were going to say that?" Bella muttered under her breath. She picked up her things and pushed past me on the way to her truck, a beat up old pickup that looked like it should've been in a chop shop instead of on the streets.

"Bella, wait."

"What, Edward? What do you want me to say? Thanks for loving me for a few years, its okay if you don't want to turn me into a vampire?" I froze. I'd never heard her use that tone with me before. And I'm not trying to sound like an overly critical parent, but I felt disrespected, like all that we'd been through together was just a ruse. A well-planned perfectly executed ruse I thought miserably.

"N-no, Bella, its not like that, okay?" I stammered.

"Oh sure it isn't," she yelled, depositing her stuff into the front seat of her truck, and slamming the old door shut with a terrifying wheeze. "Every time I cover up for you at school, explain to my dad why I can't tell him about our dating life, and explain to Jake how my sparkly boyfriend is more important than him!" My patience snapped like a brittle stick.

"You know, I've had just about enough, Bella! All this time, I've loved you with all my soul, given to you my life and love, and this is how you repay me? By arguing with me about my moral grounds?"

"What moral grounds?" she seethed, rage coming off her in waves. "You're a vampire, Edward! Your kind suck the blood out of people and leave them for dead!" I slammed my fist into her truck's hood, leaving a large dent too suspicious to ignore. She gasped in shock.

"In case you hadn't noticed already, I. Don't. Eat. People." I growled. I grabbed her hands and forced her to look in my eyes. "My family and I choose to hunt deer and other animals because we don't want to be like all the blood-sucking fiends you seem to be so obsessed about. We want to be normal."

"But you're not normal, Edward. I won't deny that on the outside you look like a regular human being, but on the inside, you have no heart." She jerked her hands away from me and shoved me out of the way, before climbing into her car and starting the engine.

"Where are you going?" I asked her, genuinely worried. Last time she had run off like that, I didn't see her for weeks. It turned out she had been shacking it up with Jacob, and vehemently denying it when I asked her.

"Away, Edward. I-I can't deal with this right now okay? I have a meeting with Jake in La Push, and I don't want to be late. But I'll come by your house later." I suddenly felt so angry. I had just had the biggest fight with my girlfriend, and I didn't feel the least bit sorry. I guess I made up my mind.

"Forget it, Bella. We're done. I am so sick of your selfishness and attitude. I give you my love and it was foolish of me to expect any back from someone like you." And with that I turned around and walked off, anger coursing through my veins. I could feel her shock and sadness well up as she exited the driveway, to meet Jake. Jake. I wonder how he would take the news.


	3. Confrontation Pt. 2

Jacob's P.O.V. 

"What?" I sputtered, nearly choking on the soda I had just inhaled after a long day's training with the pack. Imagine my surprise when I found Bella weeping softly on the living room couch. "You can't be serious."

"I'm dead serious, Jake," whispered Bella, her voice hoarse from crying, her cheeks blotchy and red. I hated to admit it, but it was not an attractive look. I suppose I was still a little stung that Bella had gotten close with Edward when he continued to look at me with barely concealed distaste. "He said that he wouldn't give me what I'd asked for." I looked at her quizzically, and she averted her eyes, mumbling under her breath. "You don't really want to hear about it."

"Aw, Bells. You know that I will always listen to you," I said, holding out a box of tissues I had hastily grabbed from the bathroom. She took one gratefully and wiped her eyes.

"I'm just afraid that you wouldn't understand. It really was the only way we could be together." I grabbed her chin and made her face me. I kept my voice calm, but held her firmly, ignoring her protests. It was a skill I had learned from Sam. Not that he knew.

"Bella," I said slowly, letting her relax her grip on the wrist she was gripping so tightly. "Did you try to get him to change you?" She merely nodded. I let go of her and she burst out crying, leaning into me, soaking my shirt with her tears.

"I love him, Jacob. I wanted to hold him close, forever. I didn't want him to leave again. You don't know how it feels." I don't know how it feels? I thought to myself, holding Bella close to me. Well, let's see. I've never had a girlfriend, nor have I been kissed by a girl. But I have imprinted on a vampire and I think I might be falling in love with him. God, love sucks, I thought sarcastically. But I decided to play along for now.

"No, Bells, I don't know what love feels like. All I know is that when you find it, you'll know if it's real or not. When you're in love, nothing else matters except for them. You do your best and hope that they can see it in you. And you don't have to resort to begging for eternal life so you can stay together."

"Huh. Wow, Jake. You've really gotten deep lately haven't you? God, I wish Edward were more like you sometimes."

"Edward is his own person, albeit undead and sparkly in the sun. And I hate to say it Bella, but I feel like you deserve to know." The small smile melted off her face. I sighed, knowing that it would make her feel a thousand times worse. So why did I do it? I suppose because there was some part of me, like a little wolfy Jacob inside me, hating myself for not having the guts to come clean to anybody about my imprint. It kept telling me to charge in and just let it be known. It didn't care that I might not work out with him, it just wanted him. To keep him safe. And if it meant having to drive his ex even further away from him, so be it.

"What is it, Jake?" she asked stiffly, a look of apprehension on her face.

"Look, Bella. Maybe it wasn't meant to work out, okay? You asked him for the one thing he wants to give to you with all his heart and soul, but can't because he wants what's best for you. It's like asking your girlfriend to have sex with you, but she doesn't want to. And he broke up with you because you just couldn't see past the possibility of becoming immortal." She gasped, her hands cupped around her face. She scooted away from me and stood up, grabbing her bag and car keys.

"Bella! Where are you going?" She didn't respond, only pausing for a minute to slam the door shut behind her with a loud bam! I raced after her, catching her just before she got into her rust bucket of a car. "I'm so sorry Bella, but I couldn't hold it in any longer."

"It's fine Jacob," she said in a clipped voice.

"No, its not. Just…please come back."

"I said it's FINE," she yelled, starting her car. For a second it didn't turn on, and she pounded the dashboard. It gave a hideous coughing sound before reluctantly reviving. "You know what Jacob," she said icily " if you say you know him so much, why don't you date him?" She zoomed away, barely avoiding a baby rabbit as it hopped along the road. I realized then that she was right. Why shouldn't I be able to tell him that I was falling in love with him? I returned to the house, carefully checking the door to make sure that she hadn't cracked any of the wood. I stripped and dashed outside, making sure no one else was around before phasing. I felt the familiar rush of adrenaline as my bones snapped and reformed, fangs ripping their way out of my gums, claws sprouting from my hands. The pain that should have accompanied such a full body warp washed away to be replaced with a delicious bolt of energy.

I barked enthusiastically, and dashed off to find Edward. After all, what was the worst that could happen? Oh boy, was I about to find out.

Edward's P.O.V.

"Hey, Edward, can you pass me the wrench?" Alice's muffled voice emanated from underneath my car, various parts I could not name strewn around the garage. I was not much of a mechanics person, preferring to read or play my piano. I called it art. Emmett called it being a sissy. So when Alice had taken an interest in learning how to fiddle with cars and motorcycles, he called it a sign from the heavens and promptly took her under his wing, teaching her how to change a flat tire, and how to dismantle an engine.

"Yeah, hang on a sec." I looked around until I spotted a toolbox next to the something-metal-Alice-said-not-to-touch-under-any-circumstances. I opened it and rifled around for what I thought was the tool she had asked for before I handed it to her. She threw it back a second later.

"No, Edward, this is a screwdriver." Damn. I placed it back in the box. Maybe this was what she wanted.

"Is it this one?" Another second, another rejected tool.

"No, try again. You know what, on second thought, don't try again. I'll get it." She inched her way out from under the car, her clothes stained and covered with dirt and grease. She made her way over to the toolbox and spent less than a minute searching for her wrench.

"Oh, I was about to pick up that one," I said with a sheepish grin. She grinned back and whacked me gently with the wrench. "Ouch," I muttered. "Hey, that hurt, what was tha-" The grin quickly faded as I dropped to my knees, catching Alice before she hit her head on the cold concrete of the garage. She was out cold, the wrench still firmly gripped in her hand. I cradled her prone form for a minute before I was sucked into the vision she was having.

A blurry shape dashes through the forest, breathing heavily. As it passes through a clearing, I see the sun hit the reddish-brown fur of a wolf as it runs at full speed. I don't need to see the tongue lolling happily to realize that he is insanely happy. But it all goes downhill from there. I see the blur that barrels into him, knocking him off balance. I catch a glimpse of the attacker's scarlet eyes, and gaping fangs. Jacob, I breathe. As the newborn vampire rips into Jacob, I feel the most curious sensation. It fills me to the brim with an emotion I have only ever felt once before. Love. And it was for me. Jacob loved me.

A sharp jolt of pain coursed through me as I was catapulted out of her vision. It took me a minute to reorient myself before noticing three things. One: Alice had a vision about Jacob, which was technically impossible. She had never been able to sense anything near him. Two: She was still motionless on the floor, breathing erratically. And Three: Jacob was in love with me.

"Oh, damn." I swore, picking up Alice and carrying her carefully to the family room. Esme had said that in order to blend in more, we needed to have a proper "family" room. So here I was, placing a cold compress on Alice's forehead, trying in vain to wake her up.

Jasper burst in, flying with preternatural speed toward his love. He wanted to know what happened.

"Relax, Jasper. She just had a vision that took her by surprise. I caught her before she hit her head, but she looks exhausted." He nodded and bumped me away from her, taking the cloth and gently placing it on her head, somehow managing to hold her hand at the same time.

"Jaspy?" croaked a voice. Alice cracked open an eyelid, and looked up at him. "What are you doing here? You were supposed to be out hunting."

"I felt something wrong. I knew you were in danger. I came back as fast as I could." He said simply. "You should rest." She looked at him once more before drifting off. He held her hand tighter than ever.

"What did she see?" I explained it to him, his frown growing deeper with every sentence. "I don't understand. She was never able to do that before." I tactfully left out the part about Jacob loving me.

"I don't know. All I know is that Jacob is in danger, and I have to go find him."

"Why? What has he done for us?" That made me angry. He'd done so much more for me than anyone ever had, and I had been too stuck-up and involved with a girl that wanted me for my fangs to see it.

"There's not really a reason, Jasper. If some newborn is trespassing on our territory, then it's our responsibility to kill them. If for no other reason than keeping on the wolves good side and preserving the treaty." He nodded and waved for me to hurry up.

"I'll take care of her. Go. Find the snotty newborn and get rid of them." I took his advice and left as quickly as I could.

Jake. Where are you? Why do you love me, when all I've been is a total jackass? I flew from tree to tree, trying to scent the musky smell of wolf. So, why was I doing this? Because honestly, I think I love him too.


	4. Revelation

Edward's POV

Jake! Damn it, where is he? I raced as fast as I could, hoping desperately that I wasn't too late. I knew that Jake could hold his own in a fight against a newborn vampire, but he hadn't been caught by surprise that time. An anguished howl broke the silence of the forest and I quickly adjusted my track, heading towards the wolf that had fallen in love with me.

There. A dark red blur shot in front of me, another smaller blur clinging to his back. Jake was snarling madly, trying in vain to dislodge the unwelcome rider.

Edward! Help me! I felt an unusual protectiveness rising within my chest. I strode forward and deftly pulled the newborn from Jacob's back, wincing as the vampire suddenly turned and ripped into my own shoulder. Despite the pain and the sluggish feeling that accompanied a vampire's bite, I managed to fight it off enough so it stood across from me. I was breathing heavily as blood soaked through my shirt. Like I needed it anyway.

The newborn let out an unearthly shriek and barreled toward me, red eyes gleaming madly. I dodged the mad swing and gave it an abrupt snap kick to the chest, cracking a rib or two, but not slowing it down in the least. If anything, it only seemed to make it madder, angering it enough that it's powerful moves became inaccurate and haphazard.

That was when Jake decided to strike. He pounced on the vampire, fastening his jaws around its neck, snapping it with ease. The murderous light faded from its gaze. But Jacob was far from done. He shook the vampire's corpse like a ragged chew toy, breaking bones and pulverizing what remained of his attacker. Satisfied that it was dead, he tossed it to the ground with a huff, then collapsed not six feet away from me, panting heavily.

I approached him slowly, and he gazed intently at me. Soft words trickled into my mind. Thank you. But how did you-? I shook my head, silently telling him that such things were best left forgotten. I kneeled next to him, and methodically checked him for wounds. I found several, bleeding heavily, though they weren't very deep. He whined softly as I touched them, but he didn't retaliate.

"Jacob? I have to ask you a question. It may seem really personal, but please, don't take it too harshly." He cocked his head, and I tried not to giggle. Oh, damn. He is really turning me into a softie. "Um, have you-I mean, do you- have feelings for me?" His doggy grin faded to be replaced with concern and fear.

I felt his mind touch mine. Would you hate me forever if I said yes? It took a long time to understand it, and a very pissed off girl to get me to admit it, but yes. And I hated myself for imprinting on you, knowing how it would affect you. 

"I don't hate you, Jacob. In fact, I admire your determination. I probably would have run off by now, avoiding the situation entirely. God knows I did it once before." I wrung my hands nervously. He sat up stiffly, and poked his nose under my arm.

I would have died today if it weren't for you. And for that I am eternally grateful. 

"Jake? I am really confused right now. I just let go of the girl I thought I was in love with. And now I have conflicting feelings for you." He whined.

I will give you time to sort through this. I have no choice in the matter. If, however, you have need to call on me, all you have to do is think of me. 

And with that, he trotted away, limping slightly, as he left me alone. All I had to do was think of him? Gah! Now I can't get him out of my head. This was really shaping up to be extremely complicated.

Jake's POV

Well, this was not how I planned on telling him. I was hoping to ease into the whole "I've just imprinted on a vampire and it happens to be you" thing. Course, I also didn't foresee a newborn vampire attacking me. But where had it come from? Based on things I had heard Sam thinking about, the Cullen's were a powerful coven, and they demanded respect, allowing nobody to encroach on their territory.

Hmmmm. Curious. I limped back over the border and was immediately accosted by Quil and Embry. They jumped on me, snarling viciously.

Grrr. Take that you stupid son of a -Jake? I swore loudly when Quil hopped up onto my back, irritating my wounds.

Jake, why do you smell of vampire? Quil asked. Then he seemed to notice my ears flat against my head, and quickly dismounted, sniffing my fur. Ew. You stink. 

I phased back, glaring at my two packmates. I ignored their looks of apprehension and concern and went in search of the old oak tree where we keep our spare clothes. Quil followed me, his big paws padding softly behind me. Embry merely took off in disgust, no doubt to inform he rest of the pack about where I'd been.

"I'm going to be in so much trouble, aren't I?" I asked him, scratching his ears. And by the way they moved up and down as if they nodding, I took that as a yes.

A loud howl pierced the forest. I didn't need to be deaf to hear that Sam was calling for me. He was pissed. Quil shook his head as if to get rid of the sound. He nudged me toward Sam. Hurry he seemed to say.

I ran and phased, allowing my wolf form to appear, wincing as the fur spread apart the healing wounds. Note to self: Do not phase so soon after getting hurt. It hurts.

Coming! I called to him.

Well it's about time. He huffed angrily. I've been calling to you for over an hour. Where the hell were you? You should have heard my call.

Oh, relax. It's not like I was ignoring it. I couldn't hear you. I snapped. I was so sick of being told what to do. It comes with the pack apparently, and I wasn't strong enough yet to make a bid for the alpha position.

I told you not to go out! We caught the scent of a vampire roaming about. It wasn't a Cullen, but… anyway. You could've been hurt! You could've—Jake, is that blood I smell on you? Sam's voice immediately took on a tone of concern. I stepped wearily into a clearing and sat down, turning to lick my wounds. Don't ask, it's a dog thing. Sam burst into the clearing, and immediately sniffed me all over, eyes wide.

I take it that the vampire found you? What happened? I quickly recounted my tale, tactfully leaving out the conversation I had with Edward.

You idiot. What if he hadn't come? You would have been vamp food. I whined, and laid my head on the ground, showing submission. He was right. I shouldn't have been so hasty.

I'm sorry Sam.

It's fine, Jake. Just promise me you'll give these things more thought from now on. And don't ever ignore my call again. Next time it could be the difference between life and death. I nodded and stood up. I was exhausted and ready to crash. I sent him a message.

Thank you for understanding. I licked him once and he batted me on the nose with one massive black paw, shoving me towards home.

Go rest. I huffed gratefully and headed home. Today was a long day. And I had a feeling that tomorrow would be too.


	5. Edward's First

Oh my God. Oh my God. Oh my God. I was almost to the point of hyperventilating, my heart fluttering madly. I had never felt this way before, and to be honest it was kind of scaring me. And I admitted that hearing what amounted to a love confession made me feel very happy. No, no. Bad Edward. I shouldn't be feeling this way. I shouldn't be feeling happy after getting dumped by my girlfriend. But no matter how many times I repeated this mantra in my head, I couldn't get him out of my head.

I turned around and began ambling back to the house, noticing that I seemed to have a spring in my step. Immediately upon entering the front yard, Emmett body-slammed me, driving the breath from my lungs.

"Ow. What the hell was that for?" I snarled, shoving him back.

"What are you smelling like filthy dog for?" he shot back. I cautiously sniffed my jacket, and the musky scent of wolf accosted me. It's not filthy, I thought. It actually smells…good.

"Didn't Alice tell you?" I asked, throwing my jacket in his face. He recoiled, pawing the jacket that clung to his face.

"God, that smells bad," he muttered. "And no, she conveniently fell asleep when I asked her about your whereabouts." Woo-hoo, go Alice.

"Well then, I shall keep what little brain you have left occupied. I'm not going to tell you where I was. If you want to know so bad, you can find out for yourself." I really wasn't in the mood to be explaining to Emmett that I was with Jacob.

I swiped my jacket back from my "brother" and hurried inside, the warm air an immediate and welcome difference from the chilly atmosphere outside. That was one of the reasons we moved to Forks to begin with. Not that I didn't mind the sun, (I actually preferred it to cloudy, dreary days) but with our kind's unfortunate tendency to light up like a disco ball whenever the sun shone, I had soon learned that along with the price of being an eternal teenager, (which is bad enough, thank you) I couldn't walk along the beaches or hang out at an amusement park without attracting attention.

"Esme, I'm back!" No one responded. Hm. That was odd. Where was everybody?

"Edward?" I turned around and saw Alice shuffling towards me, still looking a little pale, a small smile on her face. "Everyone went out. Jasper caught a newborn's scent in the woods and went after it. The rest followed. Well, except for Emmett."

"Still feeling a little tired?" I asked. She nodded and took a seat on the couch. "Hey, Alice. I need to ask you something."

"Is it about Jacob?" she asked, and for a moment, I swore my heart stopped. Shit. Shit. Shit. How did she know?

"So what if it is?" I bristled; waiting for the inevitable dog comment that was about to follow.

"Relax, Edward, I wasn't going to make a stupid dog joke, if that's what you were thinking. That's more Rosalie's style."

"Oh," was all that tumbled out of my mouth. "Sorry. I guess I'm just tired of hearing those snide comments from them." I began pacing on the floor, hoping the continual motion would help me to organize the thoughts running around in my head.

"So, you think Jacob might be falling in love with you." I stopped and stared at her. "It's not that hard to deduce, you know. After you left, I got another vision that kind of explained the whole thing to me."

"It's completely mind-blowing!" I exploded, glad to have finally found someone to talk to. Alice was someone that could really listen to what I had to say. "I mean, first of all I'm not gay-" Alice stared at me again, "-what? Oh, come on, that was years ago."

"Edward, I'm not saying you're gay, but I think everybody knows that you're at least bi," she pointed out, and I had to grudgingly agree. Wait WHAT?

"Second of all, he's a werewolf, and I can guess at how our families would react to this new insight. They hate my guts, and believe me, I share the same sentiment." I paused in my thinking. Did I really hate every single one of the wolves? I liked Jacob, as if that wasn't obvious enough. Seth was cool, and I even liked his older sister decently well, even though she was kind of a bitch (no dog joke intended). They might be okay, but as for the others?

"That doesn't mean that you have to like them all, but you should at least try to tolerate them." I started to wonder what exactly the pack's reaction would be if they found out about our less-than-enemy mindset. For some reason my mind kept flashing back to Romeo and Juliet. Star-crossed lovers? No thanks. Romeo and Juliet weren't both dudes. Which brought me back to the previous thought.

"Everybody thinks I'm bi? B-but I'm not that obvious, am I?"

Alice sighed, obviously frustrated with me. "Edward, do you remember that day a few years ago when we just moved back here and we were "freshmen" at Forks High?"

I was pissed off, to say the least. You'd think after undergoing high school for what must've been the twentieth time I would have known how to get through being a freshman. Apparently not, considering I was now sitting in the principal's office, next to a hulking senior jock of a boy named Joshua, who looked like he wanted to kill me. Not that he looked very intimidating at the moment, as he was nursing two black eyes and a bruise running all down his cheek, which was already swelling. Kind of a shame though, considering nearly all of the girls at school and a few of the gay guys loved to comment on his ruggedly handsome good looks and startling gray eyes.

"Mr. Cullen, I'm sure I don't have to say that this is not a good way to be starting out your freshman year here at Forks High." The principal was a small, wiry man, whose thinning grey hair and large spectacles made him look more like a librarian or a Wall Street analyst than a high school principal. "Mr. Avery here is saying that you attacked him in the locker room while getting ready for gym class. Is that true?"

"No, otherwise I wouldn't be here, would I?" I couldn't help but be a little snarky. "I was changing for gym when he walks up to me and slams my locker door shut."

"Dude, what's your problem?" I ask him, shoving him away from my locker. I really hated how seniors could be so arrogant sometimes. 

"My problem is that you're dressed like that one dude from Glee? What's his name…Kurt Hummel? I don't take fags being in my locker room very nicely. We're changing here," he shouts. So what if I was wearing rather tight jeans and a shirt that was a size too small for me? I didn't usually dress that way, but I had forgotten to do my laundry yesterday and had to borrow some clothes from Jasper.

"You have the nerve to call me a faggot? You're the one all the back up in the damn closet." I retaliate. "Don't think I didn't notice the way you were looking at me today! There's nothing wrong with wearing tight clothing, just as there's absolutely nothing wrong with being gay." As soon as I say it, I know that whatever was about to happen can't be good.

Joshua roars with a mad glint in his eyes. Oh, shit, I curse inwardly. I don't want to fight this guy, but if I didn't, Emmett would dismember me for acting like a "sissy". And honestly, I fear Emmett more than I fear this guy. Besides, sometimes I felt that living a life of "non-violence against the humans" caused a well of anger to build up inside of me.

The brown-haired jock rushes me with all of the brute strength I expect a jock to have. What I don't expect is the surprising amount of foresight he had put into the rush. Whatever people have said about all jocks possessing brains the size of walnuts isn't true. Joshua had rushed with enough of his weight forward into the attack, but left enough balance on his side that if, god forbid, I dodged his attack, he could still follow up with a decent hit. 

"So you're defending that horrid lifestyle now," he spits, throwing another punch at me that I dodge smoothly. "You're nothing but another fag."

"So what if I am?" I yell in the heat of the moment. The room stops observing the fight with a nonchalant aura and starts paying close attention. Fuck. My. Life. I had basically admitted to questioning my sexuality, if not coming out of the closet waving a rainbow flag and riding a unicorn. Not a very smart thing to do before gym class, mind you. I decide to go on the offensive and finish this fight, if you could call it that, before someone got hurt, namely him. "That. Doesn't. Mean. That. You. Can. Beat. People. Up. For. It." I punctuate each word with a blow to his face, being extremely careful to not permanently injure the dude. I don't want the female population of Forks High to start throwing eggs at me or something for disfiguring his face.

Joshua suddenly sinks to the floor in surrender, holding his rather bruised face. A small well of blood trickles down his face from where he had hit a locker door. Irritated beyond belief, I gather up my things and storm out of the room. On my way out I can hear his friends help him up and carry him to the nurse's office whispering things like "who knew Cullen had it in him?" to "so wait, does that mean he's…gay?"

And that's obviously how I found myself in the office not an hour later, trying to avoid suspension.

"So if what you say is true," the principal said skeptically, "Mr. Avery here made some homophobic comments to you and made the first swing." 

"Yes. Any and all physical action I took was purely defensive." I knew to give the textbook response to any authority figure that I could encounter. Blame the decades I spent in high school for this.

"If you don't mind me asking, were Mr. Avery's comments unfounded?" Ah, here it was. The moment of truth, so to speak.

I paused. "Well…I was wearing tighter clothes than I normally do, and that could've contributed to Joshua's…comments..." That might not have been the entire truth, but at least I personally felt better about it.

"Mr. Avery, any comments?" Oh good lord, peer mediation. Why couldn't he just suspend the two of us for three days, as per the school's policy on fighting, and leave it at that?

Joshua shook his head, though his eyes betrayed comments unsaid. "Well then, seeing as Joshua started this fight and other witnesses say that Mr. Cullen acted in pure defense, I have no choice to suspend both of you for three days."

I nodded, resigning myself to my fate. Honestly, what could I miss from being absent for three days? I could name every single country and sovereign nation in the world in alphabetical order in less than two minutes. I worked on engineering problems and poli-sci scenarios in my free time. 

"You two may return to class though, seeing as the school day is almost over. However, security will escort you off the premises after." The principal turns back around in his chair, the matter clearly resolved as far as he was concerned.

I gathered up the rest of my things and headed out, but before I could get back to class, Joshua stopped me.

"What now?" I said tiredly. 

"I-I just wanted to apologize for my…actions. I shouldn't have reacted so harshly to you. I wanna tell you something, but I think I'd rather just give you a note that explains it." He shoved a wrinkled paper into my hand and hurried off. 

Confused, I opened the note and read it. Edward, I'm so sorry for what I said to you. I was afraid to take action in admitting to myself something I was actively avoiding. What I'm trying to say…is that I'm gay. Please don't tell anyone else. I'm not yet ready to admit it to myself. Seeing the way that you walked around so openly and proudly made me angry that I couldn't do it too. Again, I'm so sorry for anything I've said or done in my moment of personal weakness. I'm glad that you showed me my problem. I will remember these bruises as a sign of strength. Strength that I hope to have one day. Sincerely, Josh Avery.

I had to admit that reading that brought tears to my eyes. The first initial reaction that I had to reading the assumption that I was gay because I wore tight clothes flew right out the window. I suddenly felt quite honored that he would share this part of himself with me, even if he wasn't ready to share it to my face. I pocketed the note and walked back to class with a new resolve.

"We ended up becoming rather good friends throughout the rest of the year," I said to Alice. "I sort of lost touch with him after he graduated, but last I heard he was engaged to the man of his dreams."

"He did that because of you. And I know you felt something for him. Maybe not outright attraction, but even I could sense something different inside of you." Alice looked around to make sure that no one else was listening in. I could hear the TV blaring in the other room and heard Emmett swearing at the screen. "Besides, I know what happened that summer."

I could immediately feel the color rising in my cheeks and wondered if I could actively blush. "Shit, I thought we were being discreet. It was just a summer thing."

"Oh, you were, but remember, I get visions. And judging by the faint color in your cheeks right now, it was great."

"Alice, shut up!" I whispered in mortification. "Emmett doesn't need to hear that."

"Relax, he's too busy yelling at his football team to pay attention." She waved it off like the revelation of my previously unheard of sex life was an everyday occurrence.

"Supernatural hearing, bro." I heard Emmett's voice drift from the other room, mocking me. Son of a bitch. I sank down into a chair. "I heard the entire story." He laughed loudly as I groaned and ran my hands through my hair.

Yeah, sometimes the benefits of being a vampire are outweighed by the disadvantages. On the bright side, I wasn't as alone as I thought I was. On the other hand however, half of my family now knew about my sex life in a way I wanted to be kept quiet. Still, if my family knows about this, is it really such a far stretch from there to hope that they might accept Jacob as my what? Boyfriend? Small steps, Edward, small steps.


	6. Wolves by the Fire

"Jake, are you certain?" Paul said. Sam had called a pack meeting and every single one of the wolves was now sitting around a campfire. Some smart person even thought to bring marshmallows and graham crackers and a majority of my packmates were chowing down on the sticky sweets, mashing them into s'mores. Sam had initially objected, but once another wolf ran back to his house and returned with chocolate bars, he relented. "This isn't something to mess around with."

"I'm sure Paul. Edward is my imprint." Even now, some of them were glaring at me. A low growl rumbled in my chest and a few of the younger ones looked away in fear. Pack politics, a pain in the ass.

"Is it even possible to imprint on a vampire, Sam?" Leah asked. She seemed genuinely curious for once.

Sam halted in mid-bite, about to take a chunk out of a s'more. He lowered the snack and seemed to think for a minute. "I've never heard of it happening before, but that's not to say that it couldn't. As far as we know, there are no limitations on who our wolves imprint on."

Quil spoke up, and he seemed to be rather educated on the subject. "It's like our wolves suddenly decide that it's that exact person we need in our lives. We've seen it happen where age doesn't play a deciding factor. So why should gender or species be a factor as well?"

"But, Jake, you're not gay," Embry said. "Not that it's wrong or anything, love is love man, but isn't it sort of a shock?"

"Believe me once I got over the initial feeling, it hit me like a live wire." I remembered the exact moment when I realized that A) I had imprinted on a male, B) that male was a vampire, and C) I couldn't give a rat's ass about any of it. "But it got better after a while. That of course, was before he saved my life and I blurted out all of my feelings for him through the telekinetic bond."

The whole pack hissed in sympathy as one. "Ouch," Seth winced.

I grabbed another handful of marshmallows and speared them on a stick, holding them over the open flame. "Tell me about it," I grumbled. "It's like my innermost feelings just rushed to the forefront. I wasn't planning on telling him all of that, it just slipped out."

Sam had finished his fourth s'more and was making another one. He pointed the skewer at me and said, "You know, that's what happens with imprints. You can't really lie to them." His face twisted in thought. "Scratch that, you can lie to them, but it takes a long while to begin ignoring the wolf's call for truth."

One of my marshmallows caught on fire and I blew on it quickly. The outside was charred, but I peeled away the blackened bits and squished it into a s'more. "Since when did we turn into a daytime talk show? Don't we have more pressing things to be talking about?"

Paul nodded. "As interesting as Jacob's budding love life seems to be, you called us here for something, didn't you Sam?"

"Yes, actually. It was regarding the newborn that nearly killed Jacob." The pack gasped in surprise. It had been a while since the newborn army ravaged Forks, and some of the newer wolves hadn't learned how to fight on four legs.

"There was a newborn, here?" one of the younger wolves said fearfully. "Are there more?"

Sam gazed at the new wolf and shook his head. "We couldn't scent any more after Jacob told us about it, but that doesn't mean that there aren't any more out there."

"We should be out patrolling then," Paul growled. He made to stand up, but I put a calming hand on his shoulder. There was no need to go out now, the threat had been neutralized.

"Relax, Paul. The newborn is ashes in the wind right now. If Sam and the others haven't scented anything right now, it wouldn't do any good to patrol," I pointed out. He huffed reluctantly and sat back down. Seth offered him another s'more and he took it gratefully.

"However, Paul is right. We will increase both the number of patrols and the number of wolves in each one." As the alpha, Sam seemed to instinctively know what to do in order to combat the potential threat. "Some of the younger wolves that are still in school are expected to stay there." A wave of dissension rolled through the younger wolves still in school on the reservation. I sympathized with them in a way. They wanted to help the pack in any way possible and were forced to be in school rather than patrolling in wolf form.

"That's enough!" Sam barked, and the chatter ceased. The Alpha's word was law, and no matter how much they wanted otherwise, they would follow.

I decided to take their side on this issue though. The more wolves we had patrolling, the better. "Sam, why can't we let the younger ones join on patrols?"

"For that same reason. They are too young."

"I was young too when I started," I pointed out. "If more newborns, or hell, more vampires show up, we'll need all the help we can get. The new wolves can patrol on weekends and get some experience." Seth and the younger ones cheered in my defense.

Sam seemed to consider the idea for a minute. "I am reluctant to introduce them to combat so early on in the transition to pack life, but I will take your words into consideration." Always the diplomat Sam was, even if he didn't want to be. 

Paul, Quil and Embry all raised their hands. "We agree as well. It could be useful for them, as well as freeing up time for some of us," Quil said.

Sam sighed. "Very well then. I will allow the young ones to patrol on the following orders: They will only patrol on weekends, and," he pointed to us older wolves. "they will be accompanied by one of you."

Some of their faces fell. "Great job guys," one rumbled.

"So much for freeing up time," I laughed quietly. Honestly, I didn't mind having to mentor a few wolves. It would get my mind off of Edward for the time being. "Alright, I'm down for that. When do we start?"

By now, the rest of the younger ones were looking up at us with awestruck faces. "We'll start tomorrow night," Sam said, taking his last s'more and leaving, officially ending the pack meeting.

"Yeah, let's bounce. We have a reason to go celebrate. Another dead bloodsucker." My vision went red all of a sudden. I didn't know the name of the wolf who let the comment slip, but that didn't bother me in the least. I jumped on his back, snarling. How dare he so carelessly throw around death like that? My body wasn't listening to me anymore as I dragged him to the ground, wrestling with him, asserting dominance.

"Whoa, Jake, what the hell are you doing?" Seth yelled over the snarling. By now we had both shifted into our other forms. My opponent was smaller than me, but not by much, which made him one of the wolves on the upper end of the hierarchy. My only goal was to make him bare his neck in submission. Some of the other werewolf's buddies were trying to break up the fight, darting in and out and overall being a very annoying nuisance.

Sam came running back out of his house, Emily following closely at his heels. "Both of you, STOP!" His voice rang through my head, and my wolf growled. I didn't want to submit right now.

"Jake, ENOUGH!" That time his Alpha tone got through the haze in my mind, and I let go of the other wolf's neck. He whimpered and rolled over on his back, his tawny fur matted but otherwise unharmed. I shifted back and just stood there, waiting for either a punishment or for the wolf to attack me. I took a risk in being the first to shift back, because if he decided to jump, I'd be nearly helpless against his teeth.

"Mason, back off." Sam growled in a clipped tone. "Go home and be ready to patrol tomorrow morning." The tan wolf nodded its head and backed away, eyes still focused on me, before slinking back into the shadows.

"Jacob, what in the hell was that for?" He grabbed me roughly and shoved a spare pair of shorts in my direction before directing me back to the fading campfire.  
I truthfully didn't really know what infuriated me so suddenly, and I told him so.

Paul and Leah, who were still lingering around the campfire, joined us. "I think I may have a clue as to why he attacked Mason," Leah stated. Mason, huh. So that's what his name was.

"Elaborate, please," Sam gestured for her to continue.

"Mason was…happy about the death of the newborn."

"I could see why, all of the wolves that had no dealings with the Cullens that fought with us in the Newborn War have a particular dislike for vampires."

"Well, yes, but Mason called the vampire a bloodsucker, and that's when Jake snapped." It was all coming back to me now in disjointed memories. I never really liked the term to begin with, but had fallen into the habit of using it whenever I was around Rosalie, who loved to insult me in turn with dog jokes.

"Sam, do you think I might have snapped because of my newfound…imprint?" It was a serious question. Despite my dislike for the term, I was never violent about it until now.

"That certainly is a likely possibility," he replied. "Until your relationship with Edward Cullen has progressed, you have to be sure that you are in control of your emotions and your instincts."

Paul snorted. "The idiot's already told the Cullen about his love for him."

"I wasn't in my right mind in that moment," I argued.

"You definitely weren't," Sam agreed. "It was your first interaction with your imprint and your emotions were already elevated from the fight with the newborn."

"Are you saying that my love for him isn't real?" I asked. That would certainly put a damper on things. Oh God, would that be embarrassing.

"I'm saying that your love for him may very well be real, but as of now it's just an instinct.

"So he should get to know Edward more," Leah piped up.

"Yeah. Imprinting and loving are two different things, though they are often mistaken. You can imprint, but it takes a while to get beyond the general feelings and get to something deeper."

"Do you think they'll ever get to that point?" Paul asked, intrigued.

"That's entirely up to them at this point. Jake, if you are certain in your feelings then there is nothing politically that the pack can do about it, and all of the courtesies extended to imprints will extend to Edward and all of the Cullens." Wow, that was definitely a new thing.

I breathed in deeply. "Yeah, I'm sure, but I don't want to be rejected," I whispered.

"That's a risk everybody takes when they have feelings for someone. You have to trust that while it may take Edward a long time to accept it, he will come through for you, as an imprint and as a mate."

"So we're back where we started," I said glumly, referring back to when I first talked to Sam.

"Only for now," he replied. "Only for now."


	7. Secret Meeting

"Is he gone?" Alice whispered upon hearing the front door open. Jasper nodded and gently closed the door behind him and moving towards the couch she was sitting on. She placed her feet on his lap and looked at him expectantly.

"Yep, ran with him to the national border myself. That was a pretty smart plan you had there, to get him out of the country on a hunting trip for a few days."

Alice giggled. "Well, it gives me time to figure out what's going to happen at the very least, without him finding out."

"Speaking of plan, what about the others? They know about his thing for Jacob?"

Checking to make sure the other four members of their family were still out of earshot (thirty miles away doing some hunting of their own), the petite girl shook her head. "Emmett knows about his 'experimental' phase, so Rose probably knows as well. But as for his tentative crush on Jake, no, I'm fairly certain all is safe."

"So now we wait for the rest of them to get back from their trip." Jasper stretched out on the couch and curled an arm around Alice's waist. She smiled and sank into his embrace. "Just how long did you say they were gonna be?"

Alice grinned slyly.

XXX

"So what are we doing here again?" Embry asked, as Sam, Paul, Seth, Leah, and Quil gathered around him. He had gotten a message from Sam telling him to meet in their usual spot. "It's way too early," he complained.

"It's eleven in the morning," Leah said.

"On a Saturday, and on a Saturday, that's just cruel," he added, shooting a look at Leah. She scoffed and turned away.

"Can it, Embry, we're here for a reason," Sam growled. "I asked to meet you all here while Jake was out with the pups. It's regarding his…newfound attraction."

"Oh, you mean for the vampire? Please, it's so obvious that he has a thing for him." Sam smacked Embry upside the head, growling under his breath.

"It may now be obvious to us, but my bet is that the other bloods-" Sam corrected himself, "vampires don't know. They don't have the irritating ability to hear everything, and I mean everything, that's bouncing around inside someone's mind."

Leah snickered and said, "For example, Embry, I didn't know you had a borderline addiction to Toddlers and Tiaras until today." He gaped at her while the others burst out laughing.

"My dad finally shelled out for cable last month, and I randomly flipped to...the…channel," he trailed off, hanging his head, defeated. "Fine! I like the show, big deal!"

Seth placed a hand on his chest, trying to catch his breath. "I think what Leah is trying to say is that our thoughts are usually far from PG-rated, but our bond makes it a real pain in the ass while in wolf form."

"Hence the meeting today in human form. I couldn't risk Jake clueing in to our plan, especially at this stage. We need to talk…with the Cullens," Sam proposed. Everybody's expressions suddenly turned serious.

"Why?" asked Paul. "Shouldn't this just be between Jacob and the vam…Edward?"

Sam sighed, "Normally I'd leave them be, but in this case, we have to make sure nothing in our treaty gets broken, and to redo certain bits of it if their relationship turns out to be serious."

"Politics," Quil growled. "They're a pain in everyone's ass." Sam silently agreed. He usually wouldn't place so much importance on the two of them, but their budding (read: barely realized) romance could have an impact on the treaty.

Seth broke the silence. "So, when do we meet with them?"

A rustling broke the pack from their conversation and they went on high-alert. Paul growled warningly, boulders rumbling in his throat. Jasper calmly walked out from behind a tall tree, hands up in surrender. He shot a look at Sam, who nodded in return.

"I was thinking now."

XXX

A Newfound Love: Chapter Seven

XXX

Edward POV

I casually snapped the neck of a strong male deer and positioned myself so the body wouldn't fall on my feet. Sitting down with it, I leaned with my back against a boulder and started to drink. It was a well-known fact by now that my family and I drank from animals instead of humans, but I hadn't been hunting for a few weeks now, and started to feel a little irritable.

"I'm really glad Jasper suggested a hunting trip in Canada," I said to myself after having drunk my fill. Jasper had run with me to the border this morning and left me to my own devices with only a reassurance that I was free to do what I wanted for the next day. "I needed a day off."

Getting back up and dusting a few fallen leaves from my pants, I moved to bury the remains of my lunch so no unsuspecting human would come across them. Our coven had experienced the uncomfortable moment when a kill was discovered, and let me tell you, good things never come out of it.

My thoughts drifted to Jacob as I wandered aimlessly through the forest. It was no question that Alice, and by extension Jasper, now knew about Jake. I was fairly confident that Emmett also had an idea, the snoop. God, what was I going to do?

I soon found myself in a small Canadian town just north of the national border, a quaint village that radiated calm. I could think about my situation here. Spotting a bookstore and café next to a gas station, I decided to browse some magazines and just relax for a while.

Jacob is a werewolf, you are a vampire. How would the others react? Not well, I'm guessing. My coven wouldn't care that we were both male, their motto was "love is love", but I was wondering how far exactly that motto spread. I sighed, browsing aisle after aisle of books and trashy gossip rags.

One particular one caught my eye. "Take the True Love Quiz!" it proclaimed, and not having anything else to do at the moment, I swiped it from the stand and sat down to read.

"Okay Edward, the first question is, do you find yourself attracted to him?" I mumbled, going over in my mind all of the interactions we'd had together. "That's not really a question, the wolf can barely keep from shedding his clothes on a regular basis." I mentally circled the option closest to my own opinion.

"Second, do you want him in a way that is beyond the purely physical?" Well…I didn't know the answer to that one off the top of my head. An annoying voice in my head that sounded a lot like Rosalie (shiver!), argued that I did want him for reasons other than sex.

"Thirdly, do you think he feels the same way?" No, I thought sarcastically, because that love confession was completely fake and designed to mess with my feelings. I paused for a minute. It felt real, and my power hadn't led me astray yet.

I spent the next fifteen minutes with my nose in the magazine, answering question after inane question about our relationship. A gaggle of high school aged girls walked past my reading corner and started giggling. One of them looked at me appraisingly until another smacked her, whispering "If he was straight, he wouldn't be reading that." She wasn't entirely off base there.

Turning the last page I read my results. The magazine proclaimed that I was maddeningly and hopelessly attracted to this boy. I chuckled, reading the fine print. I could definitely get some of the underlying reasons, but I knew that it would take a whole hell of a lot more that a trashy quiz to tell me that I was in love with a boy.

Glancing up at the clock, I replaced the magazine on its rack and headed out. It was almost seven in the evening and I decided to hunt for some dinner before heading back home to Forks. As I passed by the gas station on the outskirts of town, I felt a sudden pang of familiarity. Dismissing it, I continued walking. It was not a second later though, when I realized what it was.

An old beat up truck was parked in a spot in front of a tiny convenience store. No. That's impossible… I quickly hid myself behind someone else's car and peered out from behind it. A brown-haired girl walked out of the store with another boy. I didn't want to jump to conclusions, but when I saw her trip over the curb, that's when I knew.

Bella Swan was in Canada, and the boy standing watchfully over her had a distinct aura. One that was neither alive nor dead. He looked up at the sun and I saw the faintest glimpse of red from behind contact lenses. Son of a bitch, I thought, using one of Jacob's favorite phrases.

Does this girl have a death wish or something?

XXX

Jacob POV

"Alright pups, Sam gave in to letting you learn some basic things about the protection of the tribe, so I expect you to follow my orders. He's put his trust, no, the trust of the whole reservation in you, so don't mess it up."

Eight eager young wolves stood in front of me in human form. I could tell that they were eager to impress and show me that they would do their best to protect the tribe. "Okay, now shift," I ordered, and within minutes, eight lanky wolves about three-quarters the size of the older wolves stood in front of me.

Understandably it took them far longer to phase than I did. These guys had only just finished with their transitions and were still clumsy on all fours. Now that I thought about it, maybe they shouldn't have been given this opportunity. Things were peaceful between the pack and the Cullen's, and once Bella had left, the threat of them turning a human had nullified.

I phased and linked my mind with those of the others. Okay, this is the main way we communicate as a pack in wolf form. But fair warning, all of your thoughts are liable to be heard by the others in this way, so avoid any uncomfortable or overly perverted thoughts, as they will be heard. Like for example, no I don't think she will care about that particular part of your body, so drop it. 

A muscular brown brindled wolf lowered his head in embarrassment, and I could hear the others chuckling in my head. In time, you will learn to shield those intimate thoughts from your pack, but it takes a lot of practice. 

Jacob, what are we going to be doing today? Quil said that you were going to take us hunting! I huffed as the other pups started bouncing on their paws, barking in excitement. Damn it Quil.

I will eventually take you hunting, but first you all need to learn how to control your bodies better. I can see that not all of you are comfortable on four paws. Today will be a precursor to hunting as a pack.

I heard some sad whines and an irritated growl, but I refrained from putting them in their places. They would form a pack hierarchy all on their own, probably without even knowing it. While Sam and the others in our pack would all have "Alpha" status over them, they would have to hash out among themselves who would take the positions of Alpha, Beta and Alpha's Third.

First things first though. Let's start with a territory run to get the blood pumping and your minds ready for the next few weeks. I'll take you around the entire reservation and show you where our territory begins and where it ends. 

Will we be going to the Cullen's border? A distinctly female voice rang in my head. Another female wolf. Leah would enjoy spending time with her.

Yes, but only briefly. We may even introduce you to them at a later date, I emphasized upon hearing excited cheering.

Good god, this was going to be a long day. I sighed as I took off at a run, signaling for the others to follow suit. They joined me in a mismatched group tripping over tree roots and nipping at each other's tails and paws. I had my work cut out for me. But maybe this would allow me some time to seriously think about Edward.

About an hour into our run, I could sense the smaller ones getting tired, so I made the executive decision to stop for a break. We had conveniently settled down right where our two territories met, and I inhaled the scent of vampire. It no longer grossed me out, and in fact, I was starting to like it. The others however, had no such notions. They growled and complained that it smelled cold and unnatural.

I sat down on a rock overlooking both the border and the rest of my young pack as they played with each other. Suddenly another scent hit my nostrils and my ears perked up. Sam. Quil. Embry. Seth. Leah. Paul. What were they doing here? More importantly, why hadn't they invited me?

Whatever. They probably had some business to attend to and didn't invite me because they knew I would be with the young ones. Why then, did their scents seem to cross over the border and towards the Cullen house?

What were they doing? I was jolted out of my moment when I heard a pained snarl. One of the burlier wolves was bullying the smaller ones and they were getting angry. I leaped off of my rock to quell the fight before it escalated.

I decided that I could deal with all of this later, once I got the new wolves back home. Is everybody feeling a little better? A round of agreeing yips and barks. Then let's get going. 

Is my pack planning something?


	8. Thanksgiving Special

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Fluffy Thanksgiving.

Edward POV

You know, this was not how I thought Thanksgiving would turn out. Sure, I had seen all of the inane human holiday movies, with bickering relatives, massive amounts of food and an overall atmosphere of family. I didn't think that's what was actually going to happen.

I suppose it's my fault that I wound up with a werewolf boyfriend. I loved Jacob more than anything, but that boy can eat. I sighed, picking up another basket of bread rolls in one hand and a heavy bowl of mashed potatoes in the other. Leaving the kitchen I was immediately assaulted by several of Jake's hungry packmates, who relieved me of my food within seconds.

Jacob and Alice had jointly persuaded Carlisle and Esme to host the entire pack of wolves for a Thanksgiving feast, her argument that Esme loved visitors and his that the pack could easily eat enough food for all of us. Esme of course immediately agreed, though Rosalie had needed a fair bit of cajoling to get her to agree.

"Hey Edward," Jake said, sidling up next to me and snaking an arm around my waist. "Can I just say thanks again for this? I honestly don't think I've seen them have this much fun," he said, pointing to a small crowd that had formed around our TV. "Though I don't think Paul and Seth should have challenged Emmett and Alice to a Halo 4 marathon."

"Yeah, looks like the bloodsuckers are winning this round," I smiled. He swatted my arm, an adoring look in his eyes. "Ooh, never mind, Seth just assassinated Alice." I could sense her building irritation and the slew of rather un-Alice like insults on the tip of her tongue.

While most of the younger wolves were busy watching the match, some of the older ones were chatting with each other and eating together. The entire house was filled with the pleasant hum of conversation and family. Several logs burned in the fireplace and Rosalie was playing an intense game of UNO with Carlisle, Jasper, Quil and Leah.

"Why did you get stuck on food duty?" Jacob pouted. "I wanted to spend my first Thanksgiving with my incredibly awesome and amazing boyfriend."

"Sucks to be you then," I replied, sticking my tongue out at him. "You're the one who wanted this party so bad."

"Yeah," he said, pulling me close and kissing me softly on the lips, "So I'm totally gonna make it up to you after everyone leaves tonight."

An unconscious shiver ran up and down my spine and I growled softly under my breath, "You better. But before that happens, there's something I want to do." I dragged him over to the Halo match and grabbed the controllers away from the players.

"Okay Jake, pick your partner. You keep making fun of me, saying that I suck at gaming. Fine, let me show you then just how bad I am." I tossed a controller to my surprised boyfriend and he caught it, grinning wickedly.

"Fine, I want Paul with me. There's no way I'm going to let you win, even if we are together." He smirked, but I was about to wipe that grin off of his face. You see, I had a secret weapon. One that would guarantee me the match.

"Rose, would you get over here?" I called. She smiled and politely excused herself from the card game, making her way over to me. "Jake here insulted my gaming ability," I said simply, handing the last controller to her. "I think it's time we prove that dogbrain wrong."

"My pleasure," she said. Even though her and Jacob had come to a mutual understanding, and dare I say it, friendship, they still had a healthy competitive streak. "How about a nice round of grifball? Should be easy enough for you two," she smirked, and for once I was glad to have her on my team.

I could see the flames in everyone's eyes so I decided not to wait another moment. It was time to kick my boyfriend's butt.

Sure enough, after a humiliating five minutes, (for him, not me) Rose and I leaned back on the couch, grinning at the two wolves. "When the hell did you get so good?" Jacob panted, tossing his controller away in disgust. "I swear, you're never that good when we play."

"That's because my mouth is usually attached to your neck and my hands are other places besides the controller," I retorted, and everyone whistled. His face reddened and he tackled me on the couch in front of everyone.

"Down boy," I whispered in his ear, and he growled. Climbing off of me, he planted a chaste kiss to my cheek that promised dirtier things to come.

Esme clinked her empty glass with a knife, and the room quieted. "Thank you all so much for a lovely night, and now if no one objects, I would like everyone to gather at the dining room table for dessert."

Accepting Jacob's outstretched hand, he helped me up and escorted me to the table, followed by more than a dozen still-hungry wolves and the rest of my family.

As Carlisle, Emmett, Alice and Rose went to fetch the pies, Esme shushed everyone and began to speak. I reached out for Jake's hand and he twined our fingers together. "So, as everyone knows, Thanksgiving is a time to reflect on the year and tell others what we are thankful for. I wish to share this with my family, all of my family, " she said, placing a hand on Seth's shoulder who grinned widely.

"I'll start," Jacob said, surprising me. "I'm thankful for many things, including my friends and my family, but what I am most grateful for is this." He gestured out to everyone and then looked me in the eye.

"I feel so blessed that I am standing with both my pack and the coven tonight and that we have all come together to celebrate. Every day I wonder how my life could possibly get any better, and then all I have to do is look at the person who makes all of that possible. Edward, thank you so much for changing my life for the better. I love you."

I couldn't help myself as I leaped up and pressed my lips to his, wrapping my arms around his shoulders and kissing him passionately. "I love you too."

Everyone in the room either "aww-ed" or wolf-whistled as we sat back down. "You are so getting lucky tonight," I whispered, as the circle kept going around, with people sharing what they were thankful for this year.

"I figured. Then I can really show you how thankful I am." He shot me a lascivious grin before kissing me one last time. "But it might take a while before everyone clears out."

"Eh, we waited this long, we might as well wait til everyone's done. Another round of Halo, love?'"

"Don't hold anything back this time." We stealthily left the table to settle on the couch together, picking up our controllers and finishing where we left off.

XXX

Jake POV

XXX

I shot up in bed, at once both immensely happy and sad. It was just a dream, and the moment I woke up, I felt the harsh crash back to reality. I rubbed my eyes and stood up, pulling back the curtains and stretching.

My phone beeped from my bedside table and I picked it up, scrolling through the messages. I yawned tiredly before one message caught my eye.

Edward: Thanksgiving hasn't already passed, has it? Because I swear we were celebrating. Never mind.

I chuckled incredulously before typing out a response. No, it was impossible…

Jacob: Who knew Rosalie could kick ass at Halo?

Not a second later, a reply that made me laugh out loud.

Edward: No way… O_0

Edward: I guess we shouldn't underestimate her. I call her as partner.

It may have been just a dream, I thought, rooting through my drawers for some clothes. But who knows? That might just end up happening one day.


End file.
